Activists attached signs to the coal loader at the Progress Asheville Power Station early this morning

Please note: Community Meeting Being Held About The Dangers Of Coal This Wednesday at 6p.m. in Asheville at Posana’s Cafe. Click here to learn more.

GreenPeace is bringing the protest on coal pollution to North Carolina today (aka the #1 user of mountaintop removal mined coal), staging a protest at Duke Energy’s Lake Julian power plant in Arden, N.C.

Activists have reportedly secured themselves to the coal loader and conveyer to prevent coal from entering the facility and are planning to scale the 400-foot smoke stack to “send a message to both Progress Energy and Duke Energy that communities and the climate can’t wait for a renewable energy revolution.”

Our Red, White and Water Team is currently on the way to Asheville, so stay tuned for updates!

UPDATE 12:24 p.m.: According to an article by the Asheville Citizen-Times, as of 11:15 three climbers had reached two-thirds of the way up the 400-foot* smokestack. Sixteen activists are involved in the action, and according to a Greenpeace spokesperson some protestors have already been arrested.(*note, 400ft number comes from Greenpeace Citizen-Times estimates the height at 300-feet)